The following statement is attributed to Evan Engstrom, Executive Director of Engine, regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s postponement of the International Entrepreneur Rule:

“The Trump Administration’s decision to delay and potentially eliminate the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) is deeply troubling to the startup community. The rule was enacted to create a pathway for immigrant entrepreneurs to build companies and create jobs in the United States. For an Administration that has promised to spur job growth, this decision is incredibly short-sighted and detrimental to our long-term economic prosperity.

Immigrants with startup ideas should be encouraged to come to America and build the next great company. Undoing IER will signal to entrepreneurs globally that our country is not a place where their ideas and talent are welcome. Companies that could have helped grow the U.S. economy will instead launch in other countries, putting our position as the leader of the tech world at risk.

If our startups are to remain at the cutting edge of global innovation, we need to encourage the best and brightest job creators in the world to build their companies here. The global preeminence of the U.S. technology sector has been driven in a large part by immigrants, and the startup economy is built on inclusivity and meritocracy. Engine has long advocated for reforms to our immigration system that will ensure that the world’s best innovators are able to build and contribute to companies in America.”

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